The bill could lead to the lease of up to 250 million acres of state land and water. This is all because of the illogical scheme of tying public land leases to strategic oil reserve decisions. This bill does not actually increase US energy security or reduce energy prices. However, excavating more land and water means inevitably destroying and damaging more wild places and exposing more communities to pollution.
It’s also a disaster for the climate. Nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions already come from fossil fuels extracted from public lands and waters. This bill will make matters worse, trapping us in fossil fuel dependence for decades to come and exacerbating climate disasters.
We can no longer afford to lease public lands and waters to big oil companies. Instead, our country should move to a renewable energy economy. This is better for our communities, climate and wildlife.
